


Stitches

by PepperCat



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Canon-Typical Violence, Dialogue Heavy, Flirting, M/M, Snark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-16 01:36:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16075613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PepperCat/pseuds/PepperCat
Summary: Five conversations Hartley and Axel had about clothes, and one Axel had with someone else.





	Stitches

### 1\. Redundancy

"It's customary for people seeking redundancy to try for a belt and _suspenders_."

"The day I need fashion advice from you, Pipe-squeak... 'Sides, I like 'em."

"I _thought_ you valued the aesthetic over the practical."

"I know the practical."

"Somehow I doubt that."

"Mhm." Axel hooked one thumb into one of the O-rings on his second belt and tugged. "Wanna demonstration?"

"Unlike some people in the room, I prefer not to play with trash."

"Guess that's why you play solo."

### 2\. Drama

"You're staring."

"You're a distraction. It's the point."

"It's working?"

"Unsurprisingly. ...are you _glowing_?"

"Little bit. Think it's enough?"

"In that? You could put that outfit on a mannequin out in front of the bank and security wouldn't notice us walking in in broad daylight."

"So I'm distracting you?"

"It's entirely the clothes, I assure you."

"Awh, Piper." Axel leaned back, fingers tugging idly at the hem of his shirt, running along the waistband of those ridiculous pants. "You saying you wouldn't look at me if I took my clothes off?"

### 3\. Emergency

"I'm fine--"

"You are _not_ fine, you have been _shot_ , if you say that _stupid_ line about flesh wounds one more time I will dig the bullet out _myself_... Hold on."

"Whooo, striptease! --'s way too fast. The tease bit--"

"Shut up. Move your hand-- alright, press this down. You need to slow the bleeding until Shawna gets here."

A pause.

"Piper?"

"What."

"We gonna talk about the fact that you're wearing a wife-beater?"

"...it's an undershirt, Axel. People wear underwear."

"Tha's not underwear. Underwear should have... I'unno. Li'l music notes on it or something."

"I hope you realize that I'm only tolerating your fashion advice because you're bleeding. Into my clothes. --press _down_ , Axel, here."

"Or Mickey Mouse! 'cause of your rats. Like mice."

"Shawna, you had better hurry up..."

### 4\. Amends

"Yo, Pipes, try this."

"I'm perfectly capable of replacing my own hoodie, thank you."

"Yeah, try this one. C'mon."

"Is this _heated_?"

"Nah. I mean, I could, but-- I tell a guy ' _wear this, I put wires in it_ ', people get all weird. It's that cold-weather reflective lining, you know? I grabbed it out from a hiking jacket, stitched it in."

"I see."

"And it's waterproof, mostly. Your last hoodie was pretty crap. Basically a glorified T-shirt with a couple buckles, you know?"

"Also you bled all over it."

"Yeah, that. Anyway. There you go."

### 5. Synchronization

"Are you going to be much longer?"

"I'm going out, gimme a minute!"

"I've given you forty-three, and I thought you were still recovering."

"I'm celebrating. Boo says I'm fine as long as I'm careful."

"So you're not fine."

"So I'm gonna go out and not pick fights." The bathroom door opened.

"I'm shocked," Hartley said after a moment (not too long, still long enough that Axel started grinning). "I didn't know you could put that much time into an ensemble that wasn't eye-searing."

"Hey, you think it's easy to look this good?"

"Well, nothing _else_ is fair."

"Awh, Piper, I knew you thought I was pretty. Don't wait up."

"I'm thinking of going out myself, thank you."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

"...wanna come along?"

### +1 Aftermath

"Who topped?"

"Good morning to you too. Hey, you know what? I wasn't paying attention last night, but I bet _he_ locked the door."

"I'm terrible. I got bored when no-one answered."

"You got curious."

"And you're still not answering my question, Axel. How long does a girl have to wait?"

"Not gonna answer."

"Really."

"Sorry, golden girl. You're scary, but he's around when I sleep."

"Or vice versa, apparently."

"Only 'cause I gotta get up and take care of our guest, now. You wanna head to the kitchen, I'll come get coffee started?"

"You're trying to shoo me out? How modest."

"I've got nothing to be ashamed of, golden girl. But I'd hate to break your heart letting you see what I'm just too worn out to give you right now. You wanna risk it, stick around. Or you can go figure out what you want from the kitchen."

"What an offer."

Axel grinned as the door swung shut again, and got out of bed, stretching.

"Hey, Pipes," he said softly to the air, 'cause it wasn't like Piper wouldn't catch it. "You wanna head back to your room and get covered up, pretty sure I can keep her busy for ten minutes."

**Author's Note:**

> It's been in my head for a while, and my notebook for a bit, and now here it is! Feel like the focus is a bit heavy on Axel, but I couldn't 100% balance it between him and Hartley in five scenes, and I think these ones work.


End file.
